Sources: Google May Face Antitrust Charges for Adtech Practices

Alphabet’s Google unit may face EU antitrust charges next year regarding its digital advertising business, which means that the company is at risk for its fourth billion-euro plus fine, people familiar with the matter said on Thursday.

Google’s ad business, which has already generated around $100 billion in sales so far this year, is Alphabet’s biggest moneymaker, accounting for roughly 80% of the company’s annual revenue. This remains true despite the company’s efforts over the past decade to push into selling hardware, subscription services, and cloud computing technology.

Google’s dominance in the online advertising market has been increasingly scrutinized during recent years. Complaints from rivals about alleged anti-competitive practices have incited antitrust investigations on five continents concerning the company’s practices.

The European Commission has asked third parties to delete confidential details within their submissions, which is usually a precursor towards allowing Google access to documents following the a statement of objections, one person said.

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